Embedded Files
Features
Features
Camera Controls
The camera controls are intuitive and easy to use. Rotate with right mouse button, pan with middle mouse button and zoom with the mouse wheel. There are also keyboard shortcuts to make your life easier if you’re on a laptop without a mouse. There’s also a home button to return to default view and a fit view to selection button.
One thing that’s missing from the camera part of Tinkercad is orthographical projection, especially from the standard top, side and bottom views. The camera is only in standard perspective mode, moving freely around the place. This often makes it hard to place objects exactly where you want them.
Snap
The snap functionality is important in this kind of software. You’re able to select between 6 different snap presets (0.1mm to 5mm or 1/64″ to 1/2″) or turn it off, and the setting is easily accessible. (Stick to the metric system)
Transformation
The way you move, scale and rotate objects in Tinkercad is really intuitive and nice. All is done from a gizmo-like interface when you select an object. When performing transformation, the value (moving distance, scaling size or rotation degrees) will pop up so you have full control over every transformation-related business.
Notice: The black arrow can move parts up and down (Z axis) from the grid paper
See the handles around the edges of the skull?
Handle: the little squares that appear on the shape when you select it that allow you to resize it by pulling and pushing them.
Hole: a tool used to subtract from a solid shape when grouped together.
Import: to bring a file from a different program into the one you're using. In Tinkercad, you can import STL files in order to analyze and build upon the 3D designs of others, or SVG files in order to add 2D images like logos and patterns to your designs.
Millimeter: a millimeter is 1/32 or 0.039 of an inch. This is the default unit of measurement in Tinkercad. You can change this to inches by selecting the "edit grid" button on the bottom right.
Pan: to move the virtual "camera" up, down, left or right in relation to the part you are viewing. Use the right mouse button to do this.
Part: one or more shapes that have been grouped together.
Perpendicular: when two object are at an angle of 90 degrees to one another.
Plane: a flat surface with no thickness. The default plane in tinkercad is the blue Workplane.
How to remove materials and shapes in TINKERCAD
Using the "Duplicate" function in Tinkercad
Align: to place or arrange (things) in a straight line. To use the Align tool, select at least two objects by Shift left-clicking on them or by dragging a box around them. Once selected, click on the Align icon at the top. Simply move your mouse over a node (the black dots) to preview the move.
Angle: to measure the amount of turn an object is rotating, for example: 45 degrees or 90 degrees (also called a "right angle.")
CAD: Computer-Aided Design is the use of computer systems to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. CAD software is used to increase the productivity of the designer and to assist in the fabrication process. Using CAD is often faster than drafting by hand, and it also allows you to easily export files, such as for 3D printing.
Diameter: a straight line going through the center of a circle. This is essentially the total width of a circle.
Dimensions: a measurable extent of some kind, such as length, width, or height. In its simplest form: a line describes one dimension, a plane describes two dimensions, and a cube describes three dimensions.
Duplicate: to make or be an exact copy of. To duplicate an object, use Ctrl + D and then drag it out or use the arrow keys.
Export: to convert a file into another format than the one it is currently in. For example, you must export your design in order to print it. Tinkercad also allows you to "share" your design in the form of a PNG image file.
Fabricate: to construct or manufacture. To "make" your design. You can export almost any 3D model as a file which can be 3D printed, printed to paper (as a flat outline), or laser cut.
Flip: a tool that allows you to create the mirror image of an object or to flip it along the x, y, or z axis. Use the Flip icon after you have selected the object. Use Flip and Duplicate together to create complex designs more efficiently.
Gallery: a collection of creations that are all displayed together. Creations in the Tinkercad gallery typically can be copied and tinkered on the workplane.
Group: to combine two or more shapes into a signle part. Do this by selecting them and then choosing the Group icon at the top. You can also group a regular shape and a "hole" object to subtract the hole from the shape.
The basic "Primitive" types used in the Tinkercad editor
Primitive (or shape): a starting point or building block for 3D design. These shapes can be added, subtracted, and combined with one another to build just about anything. They include: Cube (Box), Cylinder, Tube, Sphere, Torus, and Cone.
Rotate: to move in a circle around an axis or center. When you select an object, the arrows are for rotation. You can rotate on any of the planes.
Rotate (for workplane): to move the virtual "camera" in a circle around the workplane. You can use the rotation cube in the top left to do this by clicking on it and dragging it around.
Ruler: you know what this is in real life! You can access this handy tool for measuring by dragging it out on the workplane. This can enhance your design by allowing you to see an object's exact location on the workplane, and also by making it easier to manually set measurements.
Scale: to change the size of an object so that its dimensions are proportional to the original size. You can do this by holding down the Shift key while pushing and pulling the handles to resize
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Some of the keyboard shortcuts used in Tinkercad
Shortcut: computer keys that help provide an easier and usually quicker method of navigating and executing commands in computer software programs. Here is a link to a list of Tinkercad shortcut keys.
Workplane: the large, blue grid where you create your designs. You can drag out new workplanes onto the surfaces of your shapes for easier stacking and more precise measuring.
This is one of the more original features in Tinkercad. When you add a shape to the design it automatically snaps to the current workplane. If you press W you can select a surface that will be the new workplane. If the surface is ramped, for instance a side of a pyramid, the coordinate system will temporarily change, making in easy to move an object relative to a side of the pyramid, change the axes for rotation and so on
X, Y, Z axes: an axis is an imaginary line about which an object can rotate, which also serves as a fixed reference for measuring position. In a Cartesian coordinate system, the z-axis is perpendicular to both the x-axis and y-axis and usually represents depth or the third dimension. You can lift objects up off the workplane and along the z axis by using the black arrow pointing up from the center of the object.
Zoom: to move a virtual "camera" to zoom in or zoom out from the workplane. Use the wheel on the mouse to do this.
Optional Video for more information
Optional Video for more information
The red cube is added to the workplane along one of the sides of the yellow pyramid. The cube will rotate around this workplane’s XYZ-axes instead of the default ones.
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